All anglers should take a look at the following list of fishing and waterbody restrictions, closures and reopenings, by FWP, before heading out with your pole or fly rod.
(Note that the links to “View Water Body Report” link back to the main Restrictions and Closures page on fwp.mt.gov where you can navigate to the pages for full individual reports)
Restrictions & Closures
Belmont Creek
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Belmont Creek, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Big Hole River
- 24 Hour Fishing Closure of entire Lower Big Hole River starting 07/31/13
- Mandatory Drought Closure – [24 hour]
- Big Hole River – From Notch Bottom FAS to Mouth (7/26/2013)
- View Water Body Report
- 24 Hour Fishing Closure of Upper Big Hole River starting 08/13/13
- Mandatory Drought Closure – [24 hour]
- Upper Big Hole, from the headwaters to the mouth of the North Fork Big Hole (approximately 14 miles downstream from the Wisdom Bridge) (8/8/2013)
- View Water Body Report
- 24 Hour Fishing Closure of Upper Big Hole River starting 08/20/13
- Mandatory Drought Closure – [24 hour]
- Melrose Bridge to Notch Bottom FAS (8/19/2013)
- View Water Body Report
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 07/22/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Upper Big Hole River – Headwaters to Dickey Bridge (7/18/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Bitterroot River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restrictions starting 07/25/13
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Entire Bitterroot River (7/23/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Clark Fork River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restrictions starting 07/25/13
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- The mouth of the Bitterroot River to the mouth of the Flathead River. (7/23/2013)
- View Water Body Report
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restrictions starting 07/25/13
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Perkins Lane Bridge to Flint Creek. (7/23/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Copper Creek
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Copper Creek, tributary to Landers Fork, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Cottonwood Creek
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Cottonwood Creek, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Dearborn River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 07/22/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Dearborn River – From Highway 434 Bridge downstream 41 miles to the confluence with the Missouri River north of Craig, MT. (7/19/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Gold Creek
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Gold Creek, Tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Jefferson River
- 24 Hour Fishing Closure starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – [24 hour]
- Entire Jefferson River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Landers Fork
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Landers Fork, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Madison River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 07/22/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Madison River-from Ennis Dam to Mouth (7/18/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Monture Creek
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Monture Creek, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Morrell Creek
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Morrell Creek, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
North Fork Blackfoot River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 08/24/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- North Fork Blackfoot River, tributary to Blackfoot River (8/21/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Smith River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 07/22/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Smith River from Eden Bridge to the confluence of North and South Forks of the Smith River. (7/19/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Sun River
- Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction starting 07/22/2013
- Mandatory Drought Closure – 2 PM to Midnight
- Sun River from Mouth of Muddy Creek to Highway 287 (7/19/2013)
- View Water Body Report
Reopened Waterbodies
No current reopenings were found in the database.
(Information provided by Montana FWP (fwp.mt.gov); Cover photo: creativeplanetnetwork.com)